Kansas City Chiefs LB Leo Chenal is getting recognition from the league for his game-saving play against the Denver Broncos in Week 10.
Chenal was officially named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 10. It’s his first career AFC Player of the Week award. He’s the first Chiefs defensive player to win Special Teams Player of the Week since LB D.J. Alexander won the award in Week 17 of the 2015 season.
He’s only the second Chiefs player to earn AFC weekly honors during this undefeated season, joining DT Chris Jones (Week 4 vs. Chargers). Chenal’s blocked field goal on the final play of the team’s 16-14 comeback win over Denver. The play helped the Chiefs improve to a 9-0 record and become just the fifth reigning Super Bowl champion to win its first nine games.
Chenal became only the second player in the past decade to block a field goal on the final play of a game to win, joining Payton Turner (2022 New Orleans Saints). It’s the shortest blocked field goal with a one or two-point lead in the last three decades in the final five seconds of a game. The Chiefs know they can always count on Chenal to make a play, and he did just that when the team needed it the most.
Chenal is now the fifth former Wisconsin Badger to win Special Teams Player of the Week. He joins Chad Cascadden, T.J. Edwards, John Hall (four-time winner), and Troy Vincent. Interestingly, Chenal’s Wisconsin teammate Zack Baun earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors in Week 10. They both join Alabama’s Xavier McKinney and Pat Surtain II as the only sets of former college teammates who play the same position to earn a Player of the Week award in the same week this season. Get yourself a Wisconsin Badger linebacker if you’re looking for some standout play on defense and special teams.
